Multi-million dollar road projects slated

- Numerous local projects are included in Pennsylvania’s 2014 transportation plan, including multi-million work in Texas Township and the replacement of an historic bridge in Paupack Township.

By Kevin Kearneykkearney@wayneindependent.com

- Numerous local projects are included in Pennsylvania’s 2014 transportation plan, including multi-million work in Texas Township and the replacement of an historic bridge in Paupack Township.

An improvement project will take place on Route 6 in Texas, where two lanes will become three with a center turn lane, drainage, curbing and resurfacing.

The safety improvements to Route 6 in Texas will cost about $2.6 million, PennDOT said.

In Paupack Township, the Wangum Falls Bridge will be replaced on Wangum Road.

The 105-year-old steel-truss bridge spanning the falls has been listed by a private, statewide preservation group as being at risk of being lost.

Wangum Road, which crosses the bridge about 25 feet over Middle Creek, is about four miles northwest of Hawley. It was built in 1903 and is held together by rivets.

Wangum is one of 32 bridge replacements taking place in the state in 2014.

Construction on Wangum is expected to continue into early 2015, PennDOT said.

It was unclear how much the project will cost.

The Texas Township work will take place past McDonald's restaurant going toward Route 652. It is from the intersection of Route 2009 (Brook Road) to the intersection of 652, a little over a half mile.

That project will go out to bid for design in May 2014 and construction should start in the spring of 2015, according to PennDOT spokesman Michael Taluto.

The third lane to be added on Route 6 will help alleviate traffic jams because it will be a turning lane.

"It will help the traffic flow. There's been problems (with motorists) turning into businesses," said township Board of Supervisors Chairman Don Doney, adding that the project has been several years in the making.

The supervisor also said the drainage work will help alleviate water problems in an area of the Alpine Wurst & Meat House that tends to flood.

Other local projects to be done include:

• Paving on Route 191 in Buckingham Township, from the bridge over Factory Creek to Dillontown Road.

As part of the transportation plan, known as Act 89, PennDOT is resurfacing more than 145 miles of non-interstate roads throughout Wayne, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties for $41 million, said District Executive George Roberts in a news release.

Gov. Tom Corbett announced that statewide, more than $2.1 billion in highway and bridge projects will begin in 2014, $600 million more than what would have been available without Act 89. More than 250 of roughly 900 projects are beginning this year due to Act 89.

"With the enactment of Act 89 and these new resources, we will make significant progress in addressing highway, bridge and transit needs across our region," the governor said in a release.

Roberts added, “We are excited about the 2014 construction season and the number of new projects that will start throughout the region. The additional resources made possible by the bipartisan consensus reached by Gov. Corbett and the Legislature, PennDOT is in position to fix the damage caused by the severe winter weather and repair many more roads in our region."